UK Government Shifts Stance on AI and Copyright Debate
The UK government, led by Technology Secretary Liz Kendall, has signaled its willingness to listen to the concerns of artists and creatives who are fighting against the use of their copyrighted works in training large language models without permission or payment. This marks a significant shift from her predecessor, Peter Kyle, who had proposed requiring artists to opt-out of having their work used by AI systems.
Kendall has emphasized the need for fair compensation for creators, stating that "people rightly want to get paid for the work that they do." The government is currently consulting on a new intellectual property framework for AI, which aims to strike a balance between the growth of both the creative and tech sectors. A key aspect of this framework will be transparency about whether an artist's work has been used to train an AI system.
The issue has sparked widespread outrage among prominent artists, including Paul McCartney, Kate Bush, Sam Fender, the Pet Shop Boys, and Elton John, who have all joined forces to protest against the exploitation of their work by AI firms. In response, Kendall has announced that she is holding a "reset" on the debate, involving discussions with both the creative and tech sectors.
Beeban Kidron, a film director and crossbench peer, welcomed Kendall's comments as a significant step forward, but also warned that the government had lost the trust of the creative community. Kidron called for immediate action, including requiring AI companies to be transparent about their use of copyrighted works and making commitments to respect copyright.
As the debate continues, artists and creatives are holding out hope that the UK government will take meaningful steps to address their concerns. With an initial report expected by year-end and a more substantial report due in March 2026, Kendall's shift in stance may signal a turning point in the fight for fair compensation in the digital age.
The UK government, led by Technology Secretary Liz Kendall, has signaled its willingness to listen to the concerns of artists and creatives who are fighting against the use of their copyrighted works in training large language models without permission or payment. This marks a significant shift from her predecessor, Peter Kyle, who had proposed requiring artists to opt-out of having their work used by AI systems.
Kendall has emphasized the need for fair compensation for creators, stating that "people rightly want to get paid for the work that they do." The government is currently consulting on a new intellectual property framework for AI, which aims to strike a balance between the growth of both the creative and tech sectors. A key aspect of this framework will be transparency about whether an artist's work has been used to train an AI system.
The issue has sparked widespread outrage among prominent artists, including Paul McCartney, Kate Bush, Sam Fender, the Pet Shop Boys, and Elton John, who have all joined forces to protest against the exploitation of their work by AI firms. In response, Kendall has announced that she is holding a "reset" on the debate, involving discussions with both the creative and tech sectors.
Beeban Kidron, a film director and crossbench peer, welcomed Kendall's comments as a significant step forward, but also warned that the government had lost the trust of the creative community. Kidron called for immediate action, including requiring AI companies to be transparent about their use of copyrighted works and making commitments to respect copyright.
As the debate continues, artists and creatives are holding out hope that the UK government will take meaningful steps to address their concerns. With an initial report expected by year-end and a more substantial report due in March 2026, Kendall's shift in stance may signal a turning point in the fight for fair compensation in the digital age.
. Artists are being royally ripped off when their work is used to train these massive language models without so much as a pat on the back or a penny. It's like, Liz Kendall gets it now, fair compensation for creators is key, but we've been waiting for ages for someone to listen 
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. It's time to get real and make some changes.
. I mean, what about fair compensation? That's the real issue here. If we can sort that out, then maybe we'll be able to get on with using these language models without screwing over the creatives 
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THEY'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR YEARS AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE A CHANGE IN ATTITUDE FROM THE TECHNOLOGY SECRETARY. FAIR COMPENSATION ISN'T JUST ABOUT THE ARTISTS, IT'S ALSO ABOUT RESPECTING THEIR WORK AND THE VALUE THEY BRING TO SOCIETY. I HOPE THIS NEW FRAMEWORK WILL REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND NOT JUST BE A WATERED-DOWN VERSION OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN BEFORE.
if artists aren't getting paid for their work, then what's the point? and if tech companies are just gonna use whatever they can get without paying, then we'll never see innovation rise from anywhere... i mean, kate bush and paul mccartney and all those other legends are like, come on, guys! make it simple 
! The UK government finally seems to be taking the concerns of artists and creatives seriously. I mean, can you blame them? It's not like they're asking for much - just some basic transparency about whether their work is being used in AI systems without permission or payment.
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), but it seems like a pretty obvious solution: just be upfront about how you're using someone's work in your AI systems. And if you're gonna do that, then make sure you're paying them for it too. It's not rocket science, right? 
to artists? It's about time! 
I mean, can you imagine having your work used without even getting paid 
? It's like, hello, that's your life's blood 
! 
, but this is just the tip of the iceberg 
. We need concrete action 
not just empty promises 
. I'd love to see a diagram 
that shows how much money AI companies are making from using copyrighted work 
? 2025 is already here 
, can't we have some answers by then? 
. Fingers crossed 
for fair compensation and respect for creators! 
. I mean, artists are already struggling to make ends meet, and now we're talking about AI using their work without even giving them credit? That's just not right. But at the same time, you gotta admit that these new AI systems can create some pretty cool stuff... like music 
or art 
. The government needs to find a way to balance out both sides and make sure everyone gets what they deserve.
. Artists and creatives are pouring their hearts out into their work, and to see it being used without permission or credit? That's just hurtful 
. So yeah, I'm glad Kendall is trying to listen to both sides, but we need more than just words... we need action 
.
i mean the guys who created these language models are not even humans yet 
how hard can it be to make sure they pay for using other people's work? 
it's a total bummer. but yaaas to transparency and fair compensation now! 
let's hope the gov makes some real changes & gets artists the recognition they deserve 
we drove to this tiny village in the countryside and ended up having the best Sunday roast dinner at this quirky pub 
the food was insane and the atmosphere was so cozy, it felt like stepping into a time machine 
what's even crazier is that I think I left my favorite scarf there... anyway, has anyone tried that new coffee shop downtown? 
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I'm so relieved to hear that the UK government is finally listening to artists' concerns about AI and copyright! This whole thing has been super frustrating, especially when you see major music icons like Paul McCartney and Elton John standing up against these companies 
... think it's a great idea to be transparent about whether an artist's work has been used to train an AI system, it's all about fairness and respect 
... fingers crossed that Kendall's "reset" leads to some real action 
️ "The biggest risk is not taking any risk..." - Mark Zuckerberg
hope it leads to change soon 
. Now we're seeing some real progress with transparency & fair compensation 
. Went out to take some pics of the sunset yesterday and ended up taking 10 blurry ones instead of 1 clear one lol. Guess that's what happens when you're trying to keep up with your grandkids' latest tech gadgets 
. Anyway, back to AI and copyright... sounds like it's a right mess if you ask me. Think we need some sort of "human" touch in there or else we'll end up with robots making music that's just as bad as the music my kids listen to these days 
... I'm glad the UK government is finally listening, though! Maybe we can all just get along and make some sweet deals that work for everyone?